Raw Beauty

One of my favorite things about this time of year are the Farmer’s Markets that crop up all over! With the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables abounding it is the perfect time to clean up my diet and start eating healthier. Eating raw is getting more and more popular. I am seeing green smoothies on Pinterest daily now! Besides whittling away at your waistline, eating raw also has some big benefits for your skin that you may not have known about.

• Orange and Yellow fruits are high in beta-carotene an ingredient in Vitamin A which is good for your skin and your eyes. They are also rich in Vitamin C, zeaxanthin, lycopene and other antioxidants that fight the aging process in our skin. 
• Spinach and other green leafy vegetables are rich sources of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as vitamins A, C, E, K and many of the B vitamins. The high fiber content helps the body eliminate toxins and carcinogens. Elimination is by in far one of the most important things for clear skin. 
• Red fruits and vegetables are rich in in lycopene which is a carotene that protects from ovarian and prostate cancer as well as heart disease. Lycopene has also been shown to reduce sun-related skin damage. 
• Purple fruits and vegetables are know for their flavanois which is a class of anti-oxidants. These have a postitive effect on the skin structure and protect against UV rays. Flavanois are also known to improve elasticity by increasing collagen production. 
• Kale if you haven’t heard, is the new wonder veggie. Yes, I know it is green but I am giving it it’s own category as it is being hailed the “new super food”.  This super food helps to detoxify enzymes in the liver that play an important part in neutralizing carcinogenic substances. Another key element in kale is isothiocyanates. These have been linked to inhibit carcinogenesis that cause cancer cells to actually shrink. Kale also ranks highest among all vegetables in its concentration of carotenoids, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Want to read more? Here is a fascinating page I found on all the bennies of kale. 

I know without a doubt when I am being good and I fill my plate with 75% fruits and veggies and leave only 25% or less for the meat and carbs... I lose weight. But now upon further examination, the fact that they all benefit your skin so much is just an added bonus!

Here is a link to the best farmer’s markets here in Reno. I am not sure why they are not including the one at the Summit Mall,  I beleive that one is on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm weekly. I for one, am excited to start eating fresh and enjoying the abundance of my own garden as well as the farmers market. It is nice to see so many joining the gardening movement.  I have a ton to learn but it is a fun process, especially since my kids do most of the work.
haha ;)
And yes we are planting kale!
Please feel free to share any markets that may not be on the list. Or share your favorite, fresh recipe. I will be sharing more recipes this summer as well. So stay tuned!
Thanks for stopping by,
Michon :)

Spa Toscana Review

I am sharing a review with you this week. A review of one of the best spa’s in Reno! Remember a couple of posts back when I talked about what I was going to get my mother for Mother’s Day?
Well, a spa day was the gift that won out. So today we went with a couple of other girlfriends from the salon and played hooky all day! I have to tell you it is without a doubt the most opulent spa I have ever been in! Here is a short list of the best parts of the experience.

• The price! So my pedicure was a hefty $65 with a 10% tip that they added on automatically for me. (nice of them, I thought) So the bill at first glance is a pedicure for $71 and some change. That is a little on the high side I thought, BUT you also get a day pass to the entire spa for that price! So if we do a little math... the day pass by itself would run you $36 if you are a local and you have a player’s card from them. So if we subtract that from the pedicure it comes to only $35.50! No way you can beat that price if you plan on spending the rest of the day relaxing anyway.  

• Outside entrance. I loved that I could enter from the outside parking area without ever going through a smoke filled casino to get to the spa! The parking is right outside the main entrance to the salon/spa making it easy access with nothing polluting your lungs or hair before you arrive! Good planning Peppermill! If you have an appointment anytime that day you can check into the spa as early as you wish before your appointment! They open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 10:00 p.m. 

• The Caldarium. This lovely facility hosts an indoor pool (for those of us allergic to the sun), waterfalls, cool/hot tubs and showers that are an experience in and of themselves! Children under the age of 12 are not allowed. There is an outdoor terrace for sunbathing for those looking to catch some rays in the peace and quite of the spa. The beds in the Secret Garden are awesome and completely adjustable. They are filled with the rhythms of the soothing spa iPod/music that is attached to each bed, with earphones. Honestly I could have slept there all day! 

• Refreshments. At first glance this doesn’t look like much but honestly if you didn’t want to order up something special from the very nice menu of spa cuisine you could make it through your day easily with the goodies they have available on this little snack area. Fruits, nuts, dried berries, juices, coffee, teas, and fruit infused waters are everywhere on every level. We even found the cookie room on the 3rd floor! Yes cookies and tea! Who needs lunch, really? 

• The Finishing Touch. As you can see my mother is looking very sad that our day is over but my review is not. The end of the day the experience just gets better. The showers are stocked with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shaving cream, lotion, disposable razors and of course towels and washcloths. Then you go into the salon area and you have blowdryers, flat irons, curling irons, hairspray, deodorant, mouthwash, mints, disposable brushes with mirrors attached, hair gel and lighted makeup mirrors.  It was really so sad to leave... :(

So this is my first of many spa reviews. I will be checking out other spas here in Reno and offering up my recommendations. I highly recommend this spa to anyone! Go try it out! 

If you have been to a spa here in Reno that you thought was over the top I would love to hear about it. 

Please leave a comment below and let me know what your recommendations are. 

I really think I could be a spa reviewer full time. 

Do you think there is such a job? 

Pedicures and a Give-away!

Most of us think of a pedicure as a simple process of applying fresh polish to those tacky toes. But there is actually a purpose to this process that is often understated. The health and protection of your feet and skin need to be kept in mind as you prepare your tootsies for this season. Whether you are a do it yourself at home pedi or a salon maven, these are the tips to keep in mind for a season of toe baring bliss!

1. Use a pumice stone.Walking around in our flip flops all summer does a number on your feet. It dries your feet out causing that lovely sandpaper feeling on your heels after only a couple of weeks. For some it will eventually lead to cracked and bleeding heels. The best way to combat this occurrence is to use a pumice stone on your heels. Sand them gently every day in your shower to keep the build up from occurring.  
2. Protect your heels. If you can sleep at least half the night with a pair of aloe socks on, your heels will love you for it! Cover your feet and especially your heels with a thick coat of body butter and put your socks on before bed. 
3. Clean up the cuticle. Push back the cuticles with a fresh orange-wood stick or a metal cuticle pusher only after they have been soaking or when you get out of the shower first thing. The skin will be soft and easy to push back. Be very careful in doing this that you don’t end up breaking the skin. This will prevent your cuticle from getting overgrown and peeling away.
4. Trim the nails. Toenails are very susceptible to becoming ingrown if you do not tend to them. By keeping the nails at a shorter length but not too short you will decrease your chance of creating an environment for painful, ingrown nails.  
5. Be salon savvy. Play it safe when you go to a salon for a pedicure. Watch to see how thorough the pedicure spa is being cleaned. I prefer it when the salon runs bleach or some other EPA sterilizer through a short cycle with the jets on between clients. But many will not take the time to do this. Ask or watch to be sure.
6. Save the shave. If you are not sure about sterilization of the foot spa, don’t shave your legs right before a pedicure. Bacteria can live in the pipes. Your skin is a strong barrier that keeps bacteria out. Shaving creates microscopic cuts on your legs. Shave after the pedi or do it at least 2-3 days before. 
7. Massage. Need I say more? The one thing you can’t really get at home if you are the DIY type, is the relaxing massage that you can get at the salon. The massage helps to move the fluids around, preventing cankles or fluid build up in the legs. And we all know that massage is a wonderful stress reducer. 

Enjoy your season of sandals and sand! Hope you get time to head to Tahoe and enjoy the lake with pretty new toes sometime soon. I know I plan to! Have a great week. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog. 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free pedicure! 

Mothers are Special

Moms everywhere deserve to have a beautiful day this Sunday! I made a long list of things I wish I could give to my mother, whom I love and adore. I want her feel extra special on this day. The list was long and some of the things were pretty expensive so I paired it down a bit.  The cruise to Alaska and the trip to Ireland are just not in the cards this year. I thought I would share the short list of some less expensive and very much last minute ideas you could do for your mother. Things that will let her know your heart is really in it even if your wallet is not.

• Flowers are predictable, but defiantly easy. You could step it up just a notch by buying a rose bush or a beautiful hydrangea this year and actually showing up to plant it for her! Then she would be thinking of you all year round when she looks at it! 
• Breakfast in bed. This is my favorite treat! My girls are awesome for this most years. This is a great way to make the woman that usually tends to every meal in the house feel appreciated and loved, like she deserves to be! Follow up by making sure that all the dishes get done and taken care of. It will mean more than you think. 
• Gift certificates. My mother loves to eat out! If you can’t take her out to dinner or lunch consider sending or giving her a card to a place that she loves to eat at. Don’t underestimate the beauty of this gift. The reason women love to eat out is because we are always the ones cooking, setting the table and cleaning up when it is all over. It is so nice when that part of the equation is taken out for us and we can just sit back and enjoy. 
• A picnic. This is right up there with the no dishes, no planning part, for us moms. Think about where you could take her. Plan the menu, pack the meal and haul her out the house to a surprise picnic. What a lovely way to spend mother’s day! Creating memories for a lifetime with a woman that is all about creating memories for you. 
• Salon services. Nothing says pamper and taking care of you like a salon service. Whether it is a body massage, manicure, pedicure or facial these are typically things some women hesitate to spend the extra money for themselves. Us girls all love being pampered in this way but it is hard for us to justify spending the extra money on ourselves when we could be buying shoes for our children or purchasing some other, always pressing household necessity. 
• Acknowledgement. Especially if you don’t have much money, I would put this as number one. It is just nice when my family takes the time and goes through the steps to show me that they truly appreciate how hard I try to make the rest of the family feel special on their day. So honestly any effort that looks and feels like they spent a day or two thinking about it and planning it is the best gift ever! 

So there are my suggestions for a flawless mother’s day. Incorporate any one of these suggestions and I give you my guarantee that you will be making some mother a very happy girl this Sunday! 

Thank you for stopping by my blog! 

Hope you have a fabulous week and mother’s day weekend. 

Michon :)

Fun Hair Tutorials

I thought this week would be the perfect time to direct you to some videos to spark your imagination on ways to mix up your style this spring. We love playing with these ideas around here considering I am living in a house of girls. Here are a couple of our favorite videos that we have actually tried.
No Heat Paper Bag Curls 
This is the look we ended up with...

Yes, I deserve mother of the year award for this! I must tell you it is very time consuming but should the REVOLUTION ever really begin, Lauren will be able to curl her hair just the same.

The next look we really liked, and had to try is the headband curls to beachy waves.
Ummm... if you end up with a good result from this one I would like to see it. We had some really definite crimps in the hair that didn’t look quite right. Maybe the texture of Sam’s hair not sure.
Can’t find the picture right now, but will post it as soon as I find it.


The next look I fell in love with was the Valentine Bride look. Here is the photo that was my inspiration.
And here is the video that Makayla and I made showing how to do it. Probably not yourself... but. You could take it to your stylist or to me and we could fix you up.

So this is the short list of styles you must try this summer. 

If you have any styles that you like to use that require no heat and would like to try this summer please drop me a link and show me or tell what you would like to experiment with. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

Hope you all have a fabulous week!
Michon :)

Mini Escapes

Spring break is over and the tax man has been paid, so it seems all that we have to look forward to is longer days (yeah!!), and yard work. Well, all work and no play makes for a sad Jack and a pitiful Jill. There is no time left in the schedule to get away and enjoy long weekends for awhile yet, but you need to think of a way to refresh yourself. Here are some solutions that may help you through a mundane work week, which you can do on your lunch hour. Pampering services done in less than sixty minutes. 

Think of them as little mini escapes...

• Blow out: Letting someone else do the work for you can make you feel valued and special. Especially if you have thick curly hair or you have a meeting later that you would like to look stunning for. 
• Manicure: A basic manicure will take approximately 30 minutes, leaving you time to eat and read a chapter in your novel. Going back to work with pretty patties makes anyone feel pampered.
• Massage: No undressing, no oily mess to deal with. You can get a 10, 15, or 20 minute neck and shoulder massage that will leave you feeling great for the rest of the day. 
• Mini Facial: Get a 30-minute facial. Hydration facials can be done quickly by avoiding the eye area. With a quick application of tinted BB cream and a touch of blusher, you will go back to work glowing.
• Quick Style: Come in with clean dry hair and have your stylist whip up something fun. Try a messy bun or a low swung bun with a braid twisted into it. Here is a link to my favorite quick styles to try.
• Sunless Tan: Weekends of shorts or capris coming up and those legs have not seen daylight in months? Spray tan is the ticket. Pacific Tan even has a coupon out for buy 2 sessions-get one free!  
• Waxing: Get an eyebrow, leg, lip or bikini wax on your lunch hour and save yourself the extra running around on the weekend trying to fit it all in. Now there is an invigorating way to spend your afternoon. 

I hope you find a few ways to give yourself some R&R this month. And while you are doing so, remember that Mother’s Day is on May 12th and any or all of these would make a great gift for that woman who takes care of everyone else all the time!

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 

Happy Spring!

It is looking like it may stick around this time! 

Michon :)

Surprising Acne Causers!

In honor of some of my favorite Reno clients, teenagers,  I thought this would be a timely post for you, since you’re out of school and actually have time to check the blog!  :)
A new landmark compilation of studies has been done showing that 50 years of research may in fact prove once and for all that there is a link between diet and acne. The study is showing that we should be looking at diet, in combination with hormones. And you may be surprised by a few of the culprits at the source of the problem.

1. Milk is being called out as one. One particular study showed a definite link between teenage boys and the consumption of milk.
2. Eating a diet high on the GI index (glycemic index). These foods would include processed sugars of any kind and even breads and potatoes. Here is a complete list of high GI foods to avoid. 
3. Fish Oil. Although it is suppose to be great for your health in every other way some studies are popping up showing that it actually increases the production of testosterone, which is a huge culprit in the cause of acne for teenagers in particular.
4. Eat more soy products. Soy creates more estregon in the body than whole proteins such as beef and chicken. This is recommended more for teens and not adults. (Adults should shy away from soy, due to the breast cancer connection for now).  It will give you the protein you need without the added testosterone. 
5. Not enough water. Your skin is comprised of 90% water. If your diet is not in sink with this ratio that could add to your problem. Try to keep your diet, water based, lots of fruits and veggies. Raw, preferably and if you hate them raw try to steam them lightly, to retain as much moisture and vitamins as possible. 

Sadly this may or may not be the cure, or end to the dislike of your skin at the moment. But it may help a bit. I am very passionate about this subject, having such a problem as I did as a teen. And I have three daughters that are struggling with the same issues, so this subject is very near and dear to my heart.

Thanks for checking in on my blog. If you have any tips or ideas that have helped you to get closer to your ideal skin and avoid acne I would LOVE to hear them. 

Please leave your comments in the link below.